Postby SonicRose » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:15 am
I think Kenshin is a wonderful choice too, as already mentioned, is the strong themes of repentance, and Kenshin's Moral character. There are a couple of episodes which contain v. mild nudity or indicate so... (Karaou in the bath, or this one episode when Sanosuke is looking at some pictures, and someone makes a suggestion he's looking for something erotic)
In the late episodes, they actually adapt a story from the mid 1600s, an insurgence of "Christians" who wanted land for themselves by military takeover. Generally speaking it's an interesting piece of history too... Westerners were starting to arrive in Japan, and Christians and Catholics were welcome.
Catholics started establishing schools and medical buildings, and it seemed just hunky dory. They even helped the Japanese Shintoists fight the Buddhists. They overstepped religion and got very political, causing the Japanese Catholics to swear alegience to the Pope (Whom, is in his own way, a King fyi). They started obtaining special rights and pushing their political power, they started becoming destructive, Destroying Buddhist Temples, slaughtering innocents. It was repent or die. (Which I don't see endorsed Biblically),
Christians were branded in the same boat with Catholics (there is a separate name for Catholics and Christians, and great reason for it.) This Catholic rebellion had occcurred before in a regular repeating pattern in other countries. Eventually, the insurgence was cracked down on and all the Catholics and Christians were slaughtered, or deported, with the help of the Dutch. Because of that, the Dutch were allowed the right to visit Japan, under very strict regulations. Only 7 ships were allowed to Dock per year, on a specific Island, they were not allowed to Prech or have anything Christian with them. THeir bibles were to be locked up while in Japanese soil.
The regulations became tighter and tighter, the major turning point being the beginning of the Meijii Era. The revolution the Battousai Manslayer was in. He is actually a historical figure. This was when Western trade was atarting to be encouraged again, Samurai had begun losing their status and power, etc. The Capitol of Japan before the revolution was Kyoto, after, it became Tokyo
While watching the saga with the Christians' plight, I had mixed feelings over it, because of the Christian themes, mixed with something else I correctly identified as Catholic. There is an Evil man in it who is one of the Clergy, and I see him as an example of pure hippocracy.
I'm also familiar with Trigun. Wolfwood is definitely Catholic, heh, he has a "Portable Confessional". I find it funny, though Vash has the more Christian attitude, and is always yelling at Wolfwood over it.
Hope that helps!
Your arms are too short to box with God.
Poor Kenshin.)
